Operation Victory Arrow
Operation Victory Arrow is an animated OVA that was announced on Sunday, October 13th, 2013 at a Strike Witches live event and was released from Dec 12, 2014 to May 2, 2015. The name of the OVA is is often abbreviated as O.V.A. with the periods differentiating it from the other abbreviation. The series consist of three, thirty-minute episodes about the members of the 501st joint fighter wing. The time frame of the plot is placed between the end of Season Two and the Movie. Episode 1 The first episode, Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow Vol. 1: St. Trond no Raimei (Saint Trond's Thunder), began screening in selected theaters across Japan on September 20, 2014, and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 12, 2014. It focuses on Erica, Minna, Heidemarie, and Trude deployment and being stationed at St. Trond Base after the 501st Joint Fighter Wings disbandment after the second Season, with Ursula, also making an appearance. Synopsis The episode opens with Trude, Erica, Minna and Heidemarie having a mock battle, with Erica having a brief bath, much to Trude's disdain. After the opening, there is a recap of Operation Mars. Post recap, Heidemarie is seen before Minna in the office, and it is revealed the latter is now the commanding officer of Heidemarie. Heidemarie wanders off to HQ, and in comes Ursula bearing gifts, specifically sweets for Erica, coffee for Minna, and a traditional dirndl dress for Trude. Then she starts presenting new ordnance for them - a Krummlauf StG44 assault rifle, a remote controlled missile with a cumbersome control panel, a flight-adapted Flammenwerfer, a gaudy sonic cannon, the Mk214 autocannon, and finally we witness the return of the Me 262 Jet Striker. Later Erica is absolutely against Trude wearing it, but Ursula assures both that the faulty HeS-011 engines were now replaced with 'Juma'004-D's. Trude is sold, but Erica is still fuming and she's sure Minna won't allow it, but she does, noting that the Jet Strikers might pay a vital role in the recapturing of Karlsland. The tests are being conducted, and Erica is grumpy and pouty all the way. The conclusion of the tests are that the Jet was improved, but still has some calibrations at hand to be fully combat ready. Erica runs off with a sulky face, and discovers that her Striker has been replaced with a tandem Bf 109Z 'Zwilling'. After another fit, she starts testing it with her sister. Initially it is fine, but due to Erica's foolhardiness, the Striker breaks apart, and the two crash-land spectacularly albeit harmlessly. In a spat afterwards, Erica insults Ursula, saying that she only brings useless equipment. Later, Erica seeks out her sister, but she only finds a note, stating she went to look for tools. She returns to eat, and Trude presents her new dress. Before Trude explodes from shame after it being called weird, a combat alert is issued. Minna and Trude sortie, leaving the strikerless Erica back on standby. The sulky crayfish angling Erica is listening to the broadcast from the combat. The two have problems with the well-armored Neuroi, as it is using an enormous cumulonimbus cloud to protect itself. After a brief discussion, Trude goes back to acquire the Me 262 and the Mk214 to aid them in combat. The enemy splits once to follow Trude, but then it splits again into a smaller dozen. Minna is holding them back valiantly, but soon she is overwhelmed, and after Minna's shout of pain, Erica finally decides to act. She flies into the fray, but after an initial success, the Me 262 starts failing her. Just as the enemies swarm her, Ursula comes armed with a Fliegerhammer and useful tips. It is also promptly revealed that she is wearing a He 162 Jet Striker. After calming down Erica and using some percussive maintenance, the twins go into combat, with Ursula being an impromptu pilot, and Erica taking the gunner role. Minna is seen in trouble, as her MG42 overheats and she is out of ammo, but the dazzling blonde duo saves her just in time. The big Neuroi hides in the cloud, but Minna uses her magic like a targeting computer, and Erica manages to land a shot on it. It come out of the clouds with a 'flesh' wound, coming at the two, but the next shell splits it in half. Later, Heidemarie returns, and is gifted a frilly maid dress. Asked whether she wants to use a Jet, Erica replies that she does not want to, since it's too much of a hassle. Ursula leaves the base and the credits roll. In the post-credit scene, we see Michiko visiting Yoshika in her home in Yokosuka. The two discuss a photo that came in recently, portraying the Karlslanders from the main part of the episode. Michiko notes Barkhorn looks cute in the dress. Episode 2 The second episode, Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow Vol. 2: Aegan Umi no Megami (Goddess of the Aegan Sea), began screening in selected theaters across Japan on January 10, 2015, and afterwards, on March 13, it was released on Blu-ray and DVD. The focus of this episode are the adventures of Francesca, Shirley, Hanna Marseille, and Raisa in the Mediterranean. One of the other witches who made an appearance in the episode was Edytha Neumann. After the disbandment of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, Shirley is staying in Lucchini's home vineyard in Sicily. During the duo enjoy their lunch, Shirley receives a call from Crete base telling that a Neuroi is occupying the island of Delos. Shirley and Francesca sorties but Francesca shows somehow nervous because Delos is an important place to her family. They meet Hanna-Justina Marseille, Raisa Pöttgen, Squadron Leader Edytha Neumann and Field Marshal Ernst (Erwin) Rommel in Crete base for the mission briefing. Squadron Leader Neumann shows the a centipede-shape Neuroi that hiding inside a cave in Delos and it sunk a liberty ship passed by. She said they planned to flatten the island by the Venecian Navy fleet's artillery barrages to force the Neuroi come out from the cave, and the witches' duty is to escort the fleet. Francesca strongly disagrees because she doesn't want the heritage site on Delos is going to be destroyed by the naval bombardment. Therefore Shirley suggests that Marseille's element lures the Neuroi as distraction and then Francesca and she will kill it with the 250lb bombs. However, the plan failed miserably because the Neuroi intercepts the bombs before the bombs hit it. The witches have to retreat and they feel that they should stick to Neumann's plan. Francesca feels deeply disappointed and sad. Raisa asks Francesca why she feels so upset because Delos is the first place she traveled with her family, and her father promised her he will bring Francesca and her mother to visit there again when the war is over. On the other hand, Neumann rebukes Marseille that she stained her fame of "Stern von Afrika" from her previous action. On the next day, the Venecian fleet sails to Delos. Shirley has an idea of using the cable from the cargo winch on the liberty ship's wreckage, in order to pull out the Neuroi from the cave and she rushes towards it. Marseille chases after her and tell Neumanns that she will show her best performance for not failing her name. Neumann feel agitated and orders them to follow the original plan. However, Rommel advises her that battlefield is dynamic and sometimes there will be complications no matter how well the stratagem is planned. Marseille lures the Neuroi and disables its ability to attack as possible to buy Shirley some time for activating the cargo winch. Francesca and Raisa catch up with Shirley and Marseille under Rommel's order. Shirley successfully ties the Neuroi with the cable but the generator runs out of fuel and fail to pull the Neuroi out from the cave. Luckily, Rommel boards the ship wreckage by a liaison plane and brings extra power for the generator, and then Shirley and Marseille pull the Neuroi out from the cave together. Neumann orders the fleet to fire at the Neuroi and destroy it eventually. After Delos is liberated. Francesca brings Shirley, Marseille and Raisa to the heritage site to see the statues of the ancient witches. She said this landmark inspired her to be a witch. Shirley and Marseille comparing themselves with two witch statues which resembles them. Move on Yokosuka, Fuso. Yoshika received letter from Shirley and Francesca, it said they arrived Tobruk. Michiko explains that Tobruk is located in Egypt. Episode 3 The third and final episode, Strike Witches: Operation Victory Arrow Vol. 3: Arnhem no Hashi (Arnhem Bridge), will begin screening in selected theaters across Japan on May 2, 2015. The main characters will be Lynne, Perrine, with some help from Amelie Planchard. Perrine, Lynette and Amelie are patrolling above the Gallian sky, they are feeling happy about the restoration of the nation is in good progress. They return to Clostermann's manor and send their Striker Units to Arnhem base for an overhaul. Afterward, Lynette and butler Jean-Paul are checking supply on the port, and then sees a policeman is chasing after a boy. The boy stumbles in front of Lynette and drops a vial of flu medications. Lynette finds that his sister is sick. Therefore, she takes both of them to Perrine's manor. Perrine and Lynette take the boy's sister to a bedroom and order Jean-Paul to call a doctor. The doctor finds out the girl's flu is almost developed into pneumonia due to malnutrition. She will be fine if she is well-nourished and takes some rest. Therefore, the trio decides to take care of the siblings. They are Rose and Julius, they were separated with their parents during the retreat from Arnhem. However, Perrine and Julius are difficult to get along with together. Perrine hates Julius because of his rudeness and he always pulls pranks out against her. Also, Julius doesn't like Perrine's being strict to him. During Lynette, Amelie and Julius are doing garden work, Julius sees a flight of the 506th JFW Witches and curses them. Lynette asks Julius why he hates the Witches. He tells her about the time when Rose and him separated from his father. During the evacuation in 1940, their father decided to defend the Arnhem road bridge and thought that Witches would come to support them. However, they didn't come to save his father and made him thinks that Witches are liars. Lynette tells the tragedy that Julius had experienced to Perrine. She thinks that it was difficult to blame the Witches. It is because the defense forces of Arnhem were already annihilated and nothing they could do for the refugees. But they still felt sorry for him and decides to never let him knows they are Witches, too. One day, Julius asks Amelie why Perrine has a lot of money to support the relief efforts across the country. Amelie answers him prevaricatingly. Unsatisfied with her answer, Julius throws his temper by kick a scaffold once and causes the bricks fall down upon him. Amelie opens the magic shield to save him. It makes Julius knows that they are Witches, and the fact agitates him. Eventually, Julius secretly slips away from Perrine's manor by riding a supply truck to Arnhem for finding his "important stuffs". During Perrine and Lynette having lunch, Amelie takes Rose comes to dining room tells them Julius is missing. She tried to find him around the manor but in vain. She thinks that he should have gone to Arnhem. But Arnhem is still a frontline that infested with Neuroi. Perrine tries to call Arnhem base but the line is disconnected due to Neuroi activity. Then they decide to go to there by themselves. However, their Striker Units were sent to Arnhem base, then Jean-Paul opens a secret cabin that contains weapons for emergency behind a bookshelf for them. And then, Perrine and Lynette rush to Arnhem base to find Julius. However, he is not inside the truck. Lynette recovers the handkerchief that she gave him behind it. Perrine orders Lynette to get her Striker Unit, and she goes to find Julius by herself. In the ruined town of Arnhem, Julius goes back to his home and takes Rose's another teddy bear "Jan", and a book under his double-bunk bed. Suddenly, a Neuroi finds him. Luckily, Perrine comes to save him on time and destroys it with a PIAT launcher. Perrine provides cover for Julius to escape to the bridge. However, a giant three-headed Neuroi emerges under the bridge and cut off their escape route. Perrine's machine gun proves useless to it and runs out of ammo, she takes Julius and runs into a basement for hiding, Julius finds that Perrine's thigh is injured. Perrine suggests that she will lure the Neuroi to let him escape, Julius worried about her but she is determined, so he follows her plan. Julius sees Perrine is taken attacks and comes back. At that time Lynette on her Spitfire arrives and successfully provokes the giant Neuroi. However, the Neuroi dives into the water tower and using it as the fortification. It makes Lynette difficult to snipe it. Perrine remember that Neuroi is hydrophobic, she wants to use the PIAT to dent the tower but she cannot move due to her injury. So Julius runs to pick up the launcher for her. He successfully runs through the fires from the Neuroi and picks the launcher to her. Perrine damaged the tower and tell Lynette to shoot the water tank. Finally, the Neuroi is soaked with water and Perrine activates Tonnerre to electrocute it. It makes the core of the Neuroi to be exposed and give Lynette a chance to destroy it with a shot. Finally, Perrine, Lynette and Julius come back safe and sound. Rose feels glad to see the pair of teddy bears are reunited. Perrine finds that Julius also picked up something. It is a book titled "The Blue Bird" that his father gave him before the war. However, he doesn't understand a word. Therefore, Perrine decides to adopt the siblings and educates them. In the final scene, Perrine and Lynette received a letter from Yoshika, said that she will go study abroad to a medical school in Hetivia. She will arrive in Pai-de-Calais in about one month and meet each other soon. Perrine suggested Lynette make a white coat for Yoshika as a gift of reunion. The scene changes to Eila and Sanya, they are staying with the Witches in 502nd JFW, and then the scene changes to Mio Sakamoto. She is communicating with Minna about "certain operation" and the study of Yoshika, showing battleship Yamato is under an overhaul in Fuso. The story continues in Strike Witches: The Movie. Gallery Operation Victory Arrow.jpg|O.V.A teaser image Ova-poster.jpg|O.V.A. promo poster Ova-poster-hd-notext.jpg|O.V.A. promo poster w/o text HD ova1 teaser collage.jpg|O.V.A. Volume 1 teaser collage ova2 teaser collage.jpg|O.V.A. Volume 2 teaser collage Krummlauf.jpg|O.V.A 1 Krummlauf StG44 Ernst Rommel.png|O.V.A 2 Ernst (Erwin) Rommel OVA1 Art.JPG|Cover Art for Operation Victory Arrow Vol. 1 OVA2 Art.JPG|Cover Art for Operation Victory Arrow Vol. 2 Category:Anime